Image credit: Carbuyer
All these SUV owners are citizens with votes, in case climate-obsessed politicians – who plan to take their existing vehicle choices away – have forgotten. Pretending to be able to change the weather is a policy stance liable to fail in the long run, and many have already rejected it.
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SUVs are conquering the world, says Forbes (via The GWPF).
That’s a problem for efforts to rein in emissions from the global transportation sector, which accounts for roughly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
For the first time ever in the U.S. last year, sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) likely accounted for half or just over half of all vehicles sold, according to recent data from IHS Markit, a data and analytics firm.
Others are rapidly catching up.
Between 2010 and 2019, the share of SUVs in overall car sales in China jumped from 14% to 44%. In Europe the SUV share climbed from 10% to 36%.
The SUV’s popularity is effectively negating the annual fuel efficiency gains from better technology and tightening fuel economy standards.
The average fuel efficiency increases of light-duty vehicles per year has slowed to only around 1.3% in recent years — down from the roughly 2% per year in the handful of years prior, and well below the roughly 3% needed merely to keep total global emissions from cars from rising.
“Consumer demand for larger vehicles has risen significantly,” says a report released last year by the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI), a partnership between the United Nations, the International Energy Agency, and others. This “has led to a slackening – or in some cases even reversal – of national rates of fuel consumption improvements.”
Full article here.
Tallbloke's Talkshop 
The Chevy Suburban is a well-known American SUV. Its 6.2 litre V8 engine does 15-20 mpg (US gallons). Not quite what the greenblob has in mind for the future.
https://www.chevrolet.com/suvs/suburban
In December 2019, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce unveiled a Hollywood Walk of Fame star for the Suburban, noting that the Suburban had been in “1,750 films and TV shows since 1952.”
. . .
In 2015, the Suburban commemorated its 80th anniversary at General Motors Arlington Assembly Plant where the 10 millionth Suburban was produced.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Suburban
Meanwhile in the Uk, as has been for past 30 years: Salesmen have been pushing 4WDs before they were known as SUVs or london tractors, as a way to stay SAFE on the roads. ” would Madam prefer to be hit whilst driving a quattro / subaru or this heavier built 4WD ?” … so what M’dam wants, she gets, sooner or LATER.
Nit picking – not quite on a par with apostrophe police. Spell check does not do it for synonyms. ” reign in emissions” This one is a common practice. You control a horse with reins. Reign is what a sovereign does. Unless you want to use the royal “we” I doubt the choice works well. Mind, with the attitude of the IPCC towards an unknowable future, arrogance is not an incorrect observation.
This is great news! When I lived in the US on our farm I always had a Chevy SUV and a Heavy Duty Pickup, 4WD and necessary to the operations on our place, hauling feed, hay, animals, etc. Now in Portugal I have a Mercedes estate wagon, diesel. The extra space is essential for carrying plants, soil, fertilizer, and poultry around and never forget the regular antiquing expeditions and geological field trips. I can’t see the majority of drivers giving up the convenience of these wonderful vehicles for flimsy, expensive, potentially dangerous EVs and smart cars.
While SUV have captured a large part of the market you forget what is known as pick-up trucks in USA and Utes in Australia. The Toyota Hilux ute (four door 5 seater+ ute tray, available in 2 & 4 wheel drive, petrol & diesel) is by far the largest motor vehicle seller in Australia. The VW Amarok is a competitor but VW is a poor seller in comparison to Japanese vehicles which are better quality. The Ford Ranger ute (2 & 4 wheel drive petrol and diesel) is the second best seller. All top 10 vehicles are either utes or SUV. About 1 million vehicles sold in Australia last few years, Toyota is the top seller with about 220,000 of which the Hilux is about 50,000 (the Ford Ranger about 40,000). SUV’s make up about 45% of vehicle sales.
“Consumer demand for larger vehicles has risen significantly”
QUANGO idiocy. Demand never fell; it’s always been there. Government, under pressure from various campaigners, demanded increased MPG. Manufacturers made cars smaller to meet CAFE standard. People didn’t want smaller cars. So they switched up to SUVs/trucks.
The demand for SUVs is a government creation. So, the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) et al have INCREASED fuel consumption. Betcha they still feel good about themselves.
I’ll stick to my 2 seat convertible. Produces a lot of plant food.
Now Toyota Australia has broken its silence and confirmed there are no plans for an electric HiLux ute, however it has not ruled out the possibility of a hybrid version some time in the next decade.
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“For the time being, hybrid is the most practical way to produce fewer emissions because it’s available now and it uses existing infrastructure.”
https://www.caradvice.com.au/754392/exclusive-electric-toyota-hilux/
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No EV version because Toyota doesn’t detect any demand and/or there too few charging stations.
REF: Consumers ignoring climate hype.
That’s OK: So is the climate.
I’ve got my Lincoln Town Car (the older full size one) and my F150 pickup truck, both with 300+ cubic inch engines. I will continue to repair and renew both of them for a very long time.
https://www.gocomics.com/duplex/2016/11/26
The original Mini was 10ft. long with 10″ wheels.
oldbrew: but the Austin Metro was a better machine. 42 to 44 mpg, and with the back seat folded the space was superb. To me it was a perfect utility/runabout.
“both with 300+ cubic inch engines”
Excellent. There’s no replacement for displacement.
A 1963 Mini Cooper S. This car…won outright victory in the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally [1071 cc engine].
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Carlo_Rally
China has bought the MG name and is selling medium size SUVs in Australia using the slogan since 1934 The Great Wall company (another Chinese) is selling Haval SUVs and in adverts claiming European design and styling to fool people. They are slightly cheaper than the Japanese and Korean vehicles. Also, seeing some Indian diesel utes and tractors.
“both with 300+ cubic inch engines”; equal nearly 5Ltrs. (4916 cm3)
Good for the average tractor, but hardly what one wants for hours in a traffic crawl.
‘Horses for courses’.
Own a Terios presently; 4WD excellent axle height for rough ground, Van sized with seats folded, engine 1.5L, apparently more economical than many ‘status symbol’ gadgetry loaded large saloons. The high seats are a cure for the constant back-ache of low bucket seats.
If you tell people you are fighting climate change with windmills and all the other nonsense they will believe you and not think they have to do anything about it themselves.
That’s the problem for politicians – if you want to take credit for saving the world then people will assume the world has been saved and not do anything themselves. Take away individual responsibility and we behave as if we don’t have individual responsibility.
In South Africa, SUV’s are sometimes necessary, as the general state of almost all roads apart from the (tolled) freeways often suggest a bunch of coarsely linked potholes!
Agreed, SUV’s are the more needed vehicle, if you travel outside of the main shopping areas in your city. A car with a 3 to four inch ground clearance, does not do well off-road. Or on a gravel road, or in flooded streets, or winters unplowed byways. But SUV’s in either 2 or 4 wheel drive can keep the occupant safe, secure and entertained.
“Good for the average tractor, but hardly what one wants for hours in a traffic crawl.”
Why? That makes no sense at all. “It is better to cry in a Jaguar than on a bus.”
Drive your Terios if you wish. As for me, I’m driving my Shelby GT350R. Horses for courses indeed; we have good roads here, so I can.
Gamecock says: January 26, 2021 at 3:03 pm
Shelby GT350R. Ah yes, I know the feeling; long ago, smaller but just as agile, leaving sparks behind with every bump; you could feel the heat in your backside. Healey Sprite. But you won’t get grandma in that, nor a dog. No utility in it.
Just take care; dangerous horses them.